Garmin - Forerunner 955 Solar

I have it for more than 2 years now. I have the 955 solar, but the solar is not useful as it needs many hours to charge only a little. Only when really low on energy and no charger it might give you a few extra hours of life when placed in the sun. My main disappointment was the maps feature. I've tried planning bicycle routes on it but failed completely, it always errors out with no route to be found. I did preload some routes, but that's too much hassle in general. Pairing it with my phone using Google maps and the Garmin gmaps app is 1000x more user friendly though. The music feature together with the screen was the main selling point for me.

My 955 solar will easily last 48 hours and it’s 3 or 4 years old. 

Mine is the solar, and clearly the best choice TMM if you don’t care about the Amoled screen. MIP is clear all the time and better battery life What’s your quadrant model ? Mine is Linear Panel or Tronic

Mine is the solar, and clearly the best choice TMM if you don’t care about the Amoled screen. MIP is clear all the time and better battery life What’s your quadrant model ? Mine is Linear Panel or Tronic

955 Solar. Jack of all trades. It’s my 3rd FR, 6th Garmin device (also have had Edge devices for cycling). Not to mention HR straps. Personally love it.

For getting back into running, I used the 955 solar, and the HRM pro plus, which gives you not only good HR data, but also data on how your left and your right is balanced, stride, etc, which is interesting and helps you avoid injuries better.

To be honest, I think so but I'm not as convinced as the others here ;) I own the 955 solar myself and still really DO like it a lot and yes, I still think it's easily worth the 350-400... (So actually, perhaps I am as convinced afterall.). But it IS already almost 3 years old, they will support it for a longer time of course but it is expected the 975 will be released within 2-3 months and that's one I'm kinda waiting for. I like mips a lot, and it surely has it's advantages (great in sunlight, subtle, energy efficient)... But so does oled (vibrant, sharper, more content on screen). So it's worth it for sure still, it is a great watch, but indeed for me the fact it's almost 3 years old in combination with other developments now makes it less of an instant jump. Then again, any new watch will be at least in the range of 600 or so so in that sense a completely different ballpark.

Yeah, but still.. The 965 was basically an amoled 955 which is not enough of a difference for me, I'm hoping a possible 975 will have more upgrades... Thinking of a new elevate hr sensor, gps chipset, improved soc, who knows... As said, still happy with the 955 but if there are enough upgrades making the jump worth it I'll seriously think about it.

I got mine past year and it’s still getting updates. I bought 955 solar and I’m loving it. It’s like a fenix 7 on a budget and the maps are great. I recently got the lifestyle logging as well. It does pretty much everything and with the MIP DISPLAY lasts about two weeks recording workouts and stuff.

Agree. I picked up 955 solar on eBay a month and a half ago. Best value on the Garmin offerings.

$270 with shipping and tax

I have a Garmin 955 solar my daughter has the 265s but my wife is much less into running than we are and she has the Fitbit versa four or three I forget which one whatever the latest one is, you could probably get by with the Fitbit and pro tip you can pick up new ones all the time on Facebook marketplace for like $60 versa four we got for $60 you can find Fitbit charge 6 for $60 all over the place at least where I'm located. The one I bought for my wife was brand new in the box $60

I’ve got a 955 solar and, given we’re heading into the dark months, I’ll be flicking my wrist to activate the light during runs for weeks on end. In reality I’d love a 970 but I haven’t stumped up for it yet. The 955 is a very good watch. The mips is fine, but amoled looks nicer. The longer battery life might be a benefit - depends how often your willing to charge it and what you want to do.

I’ve got a 955 solar. It’s been perfect. I charge about once every week, running 4 to 6?days a week. My only problem is that I scratched and chipped the glass slightly about 3 weeks ago in a ‘tumble’. Still working fine though! It’s nice and light. Couldn’t bear a fenix

I just did, upgraded from fenix 6s to 955 solar Loving it so far !

Was pretty much in the same situation as you, trying to find the best value, reading all the reviews etc. Seems like they are all great watches with the maps/navigation and screen type being the biggest differences. I found a 955 Solar on Marketplace for $400 and went for it. MIP screen is great, no issues with it at all. I will be buying a nylon band to go with it though, not a fan of the silicone for all day wear.

Truly the last MIPs display 9xx forerunners. It's great and has the juice to last more than 7hrs of running. GPS is very accurate for me. The solar edition isn't all that great since it doesn't charge but delays battery use. Has only up to 7 data fields. A very light weight watch that I sometimes can't tell if I am wearing it or not without looking at my wrist. Not having a strap quick release is a bit of a bummer. 9/10 for me.

Big agree - definitely opt for the non solar too! I got the 955solar but it’s a gimmick and halves the battery

Hi, I own forerunner 970(before that multiple forerunner devices 945, 955 solar, 965) fenixes(6 pro, 7 solar, 7 pro, 8) and edge 1050(before 530 and 830), also im reviewer for suunto in my country. Based on cycling, its ok... i mean it never will be dedicated bike computerm but its ok, U can pair multiple sensors. Power sensor works ok, but U can't set avg power counting with 0 or not like in garmin. About app, its really nice, even it shows peak power and speed for 30sec, 1min, 3min, and 5min. I had it before launch to this day and it is pretty stable(also i never experienced losing training session on garmin). About indoor cycling, smart trainers are not supported and I hope this will change soon because garmin in top in this matter. For running its also great Now there are some diffrences between app and watch with recovery metrics at this moment

Go with a 955 solar and call it a day. It has all the metrics and you will get battery life to boot if you’re getting sunshine on it for 10K a day

I always recommend getting a Garmin off fb market. I bought a new 945 in 2018 and they replaced it like 6 years later when the charging port started acting up. I sold it and both a used 955 solar. It had an issue and they replaced it even though i was the second user.

I don't think of my 955 Solar as a 'smart watch.' I don't have it on wireless, don't have it synced to my phone, and I avoid product like that. If you want a watch that syncs to your iPhone and lets you talk to people while you stroll about, get an apple watch! if you want sports data and to train, get a garmin. not so hard, eh?

I got a 955 Solar about a year ago and am still enjoying it now. I got it over the 255 and 265 then for training readiness and the MIP display respectively, and I’m glad I did so. Sometimes I feel FOMO when I see newer watches come out, but I’m sure the 955 does 90% of whatever the newer watches do. If you’re open to outside the Garmin ecosystem, you could take a look at the Coros Pace Pro and Apex 4, both of which are more affordable than Garmin’s current offerings, but seem to deliver the same, if not more in some aspects.

If you haven’t already, try reaching out to Garmin customer service. They offered to replace my 955 solar screen for $60 when I scratched it. If I remember correctly I was out of warranty when I scratched it.

Bought the 955 Solar over 2 years ago, and it is fantastic. I use it for running every day. I see no need to upgrade (I like the MIP, no need for anything brighter) and I could imagine having this watch for another 5 years without wanting to upgrade. Maybe it won't last that long, but honestly I didn't think they made electronics like this anymore that don't go obsolete in 18 months.

Hi, I too did alot of research and ended up with the Garmin 955 solar. My main focus was battery life and didn’t care to use my watch as a phone like I believe Apple would have been. I’m enjoying it and all of the sport features. My only concern is that the step tracker seems to be a bit off or maybe the Fitbit I used in the past was overly sensitive and counting too many steps?! Anyways if you google forerunner 955 videos there are some nice ones. Good luck!

Wife's got the 255, I've got the 955 Solar. Both have excellent training metrics, dual band GPS, great battery life. I've got full maps and solar. Prob some more stuff in there but that's the big ticket items.

I've had a 955 solar since 2023. The battery life is great. It's easy to read in sunshine and in the dark even at 1/2 brightness I've never had an issue. While the new screens are pretty they use more power and can be difficult in some conditions. When training I only glace at the watch quickly and have no problem getting the info I need. Spotify requires a premium account and then you download you playlists etc to the watch. Then you can listen offline. It works well. I usually pick up a month long subscription to cover a marathon. Other than that I often load audiobooks or my own music to the watch for use in training runs. This option is free if you already have the files. It's great for when I don't have my phone with me. Given that you are thinking of training for multi sport events I think Garmin might work better for you since it is setup to track things like tri.

I bought a FR970 but sold it and went back to FR955 solar. I couldn't handle the AMOLED, even at low light. Must be an individual vision thing. For reference I can see the Soap Opera effect on TVs and have to turn that off. Now thinking of Fenix 8 solar..

I had the 955 solar for "testing" for nearly 2 years, and I'd buy it again in a heartbeat, if I could. Such a great device.

Forerunner 955 solar. Epic battery for ultras.

I bought a 955 solar three months ago (45% off sale!) and I have zero complaints. In fact I only use a small portion of the features. But I love the mips screen and the long battery life. No complaints other than it is difficult to find indoor bikes and exercise equipment that pair with it.

An Australian retailer called Rebel Sport. They had a sale in October 2024 for a few days. I've recently started jogging again, needless to say the 955 is a brilliant device :-)

Used to have the Apple Watch, but switched to Garmin 955 Forerunner Solar + never looked back. Amazing for swimming and even recognises what stroke I’m doing. Also have a whoop on the other wrist which isn’t great for individual sport tracking (no screen) but great for very accurate body metrics. I use mine for swim/cycle/run and I can’t do without it..!

+1. Or lightly used 955.

It’s not worth it imo. The solar doesn’t make much difference there and makes the screen look faded.

955? I love mine, lightweight and capable

If there's a smaller budget, used 955 in a good state is very hard to beat.

Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar and its fantastic. I charge it once a week if that.

I've had one for two months exactly. Solar version which doesn't charge as much as it is a way to keep history of how much sunlight you're getting

Solar intensity is basically just an unexpected way for me to keep history of how long I've spent under direct sunlight and at what time.

I also have the 955 solar but I don’t really notice much of a difference with battery charging when I am out in the sun

I have the 955. It's a fantastic watch, and if you regularly run/hike off-road, the maps are invaluable. What I like are the maps and the training metrics. One thing, though, if you're just entering the garmin world: the battery estimations that garmin offers are calculated in perfect lab-like conditions. I get about 6/7 days out of my 955 (compared to the 15 days that garmin markets itself), but that's with about 10 to 12 hours of gps use.

I dont understand everyone being so negative, Ive had my FR955 for 2 years doing weekly training and havent had any problem, the tracking is accurate if your swimming technique is decent.

I went through exactly the same scenario recently. Here's the brief version of what I found. Apple Watch Alone: Does an excellent job of recording sessions, but the data display during the workout is limited and doesn't include some fields I want. Personally I found the display slightly difficult to read. It was also quite frustrating that when transferred to Training Peaks the workout was broken up into 25yd pool lengths rather than the actual sets I swam. Apple + swim.com: This one works really well. I'm still not thrilled with the data display, but it is more useful than AW alone. Recording accuracy is excellent. The only issue that I had was the quality of the downloaded data into Training Peaks. No matter how I did it (and I took a number of different approaches) the HR data was wonky. Garmin (I'm using the 955, but they're all essentially the same): Data display is fully customizable so I can show exactly what I want and the rest timer display is useful. Note that the 955 has the older MIP display rather than the AMOLED that is all the rage now. The MIP is absolutely my preference as it is far easier to read in/at the pool and the rest timer screen is much clearer. Data transfer to Training Peaks is perfect. I don't use the auto-set feature on Garmin as it is far too sensitive of motion during rest, plus it's really unreliable if the rest interval is less than 20s (which most of mine are). I had one session where a descending set of 100s was recorded as one 800 since the rest was only about 15sec between. Now I have auto-lap off and hit the lap button when I push off at the start of a lap and again when I touch the wall at the end to start the rest timer. The watch does an excellent job of recording pool lengths and overall lap distance. I started out by trying to program the workout into the watch and then have the watch run it, but this proved to be cumbersome. First off, there's no truly clean way to get my coach's workout into the watch directly so there was always some manual intervention required. Second, if the watch mis-counted something or I needed to re-start a set the process was extremely frustrating in the pool. Now I just write the workout on a post-it with pencil and stick that to my water bottle. I just use the watch to record the workout. I'm currently using the Garmin to record swim workouts and it's working very well for me.

It’s OK, but the workout builder is kind of cumbersome to use. Lots of tapping, then turning dials, then tapping. Just a poorly conceived user interface. The issue I have with all of them is that you become a slave to the watch in the pool. Need an extra 10s rest? Well you had better hurry up and pause the watch because if you let it get into the next interval then it’s a total pain to back up. I had one workout where it was a series of 25yd sprints with short rest in between. The Apple Watch got totally confused and double-counted laps so it was having me finish the set in half the time. There was no easy way to get out of that so I ended up pausing the watch and finishing the set without recording. It’s so much easier just to write the workout down and let the watch record it. Plus I find that the act of writing it down commits it to memory. I’ve settled on Garmin as it just works better with Training Peaks and that’s a key feature for me. I do wish it was smarter about auto-lap but it has been 100% accurate hitting the lap button after every lap. To be clear when I say lap I don’t mean length of the pool I mean collection of lengths (eg 50s, 100s, etc)

Just went for a hike today with my 955. Could see the maps clear as day.

I had a $20 vivo active 2 that was super simple. Wanted heart rate so I got a cheap Fitbit. Wanted better tracking and ability to use chest strap heart monitor, so i got a used forerunner 735xt. Fitbit wanted a subscription to see most of the data. Garmin cost more but didn't require subscription. It worked good enough but was aged technology. Got a good deal on a used 955($200 used). It's a MIP screen and I order it over newer OLED screens.

It has some weird water marks on the screen but functions normal. The seller slapped a screen protector on it and it looks normal with a protector. So that's part of why it was discounted.

There’s a garmin quiz thing online that I used. It’s asks a bunch of questions and then will match you with some watches. I don’t know enough about them to give you an answer but that’s how I ended up with my 955

I had a coros pace 1 and switched to Garmin 955. The garmin is way better for swimming

255 has MIPS, 265 has OLED. The 165 also has OLED and is cheaper, but obviously fewer features. You can find the 955 (MIPS) and probably 965 (OLED) within your budget, they have built in full-colour maps and other features over the 2xx series Sleep accuracy etc is fine on them all. They aren’t clinical devices doing a scientific sleep study.

I stated that from my own experience. I have a 955. It works fine. You have to load the app on the watch via the garmin store app, then on the watch you log in using a code. After that you browse all your playlists and save direct to watch. Also, I paired my AirPods once and it remembers every time. It’s not really difficult at all.

I want the 955 because it has the maps, but is an MIP screen. Check out the Garmin compare feature on the website.

I’ve have several Apple Watches and always wear a Garmin when I run. The physical buttons are simply better. Still, I find the everyday use far better on the AW. When running I wear both, but switch the AW to my other arm. Worth noting, outside of any physical interaction, the watches are always very close in accuracy. I now use the Coros HR arm band with my Garmin 955 while running.

I changed from AW (died after rafting) to 955, I’ve slowly morphed into liking the minimalistic health oriented ness I’m liking the sleep score, readiness - it’s largely in line with actual performance . However you could get those in AW through 3rd party apps etc The UX is concise and direct, however i will say the strength training bit could be better But none of the AW delights : find iPhone with vibration, meditate mode, call, ecg, click photo - do i miss them? Not really but it’s certainly a good option to have on some days I bought mine for 250$ off running rack sub, you could snag a great deal 280$ for 965 and see if suits you. Else gift to a loved one lol

Most of them are decent at hr without a strap but you’d want something with the elevate v5 sensor for the best data and unfortunately that’s fenix only. The 255 or 955 would be the best bet here but the 255 doesn’t have maps. Also the 965 is great if you want oled instead of MIP

Garmin. Anything from the fr955 up has maps and offline navigation(maps and then by turn nav). Also the fenix 7 pro can be had for amazing prices if you look and are patient

The 955 is way better than the 265. You’ll have better battery life, maps, solar and the MIP screen(better than oled imo)

Maybe for you. I’m still on a 955 without sapphire or screen protector. Had a 945 for several years before that without issue. About the only feature that would compel me to upgrade is ECG. I worry a little about atrial fibrillation as I get older.

The 955 / fenix 7 are peak.

You might manage all bases in the short term with a second hand forerunner 955 watch. It does have full mapping. Dont get anything with breadcrumb navigation, thats what I have on my 935 and I miss turns on my bike and running all the time. However that being said navigation on a bike using a watch screen is not ideal. The bigger screen of a dedicated bike computer is way better. Second hand 540 + second hand basic forerunner might cover all bases better. Another angle is Second hand 840 + heart rate strap is another make do. The touch screen of the 840 is handy and makes it more user friendly. You can use a running belt to carry it. I'm having a similar dilemma at the next level up which is I already have a forerunner 935 which does not have full mapping however I want to explore more on my bikes and trail running. In the end I have decided to go for the bigger screen of the bike computer. For unknown trail runs I'll just chuck it in my belt. I get a lot more time to make a decision running and can correct a bad turn easier. I have had some absolute stinkers taking wrong turns downhill whilst mountain biking.

FYI: the FR255, compared to the FR955, 265, 965 less training metrics, missing Training Readiness. FR255/955 Mips display versus Amoled others.

True. I just changed from the fr955 to the 970 and don’t see going back anymore. The fr955 seems just outdated in comparison to me.

My 955  does all those things and has still never crashed. Have a simple display of just a watch face on and the battery lasts forever

If you expect and want apple level software, and end up with garmin because you think they'll reach that some day, you'll be disappointed. Sure, I had a phase on my 955 that was buggy. Like 2 weeks in the beginning. The cost of being an early adopter in my mind. I'm faily sure the Fenix and Forerunner are very similiar in terms of software features. So from my point of view I can't agree. I'm not really missing anything. I don't have any issues - but I'm very tech savvy, so maybe my perceived point of calling issues "bugs" is different to the average joe.

If you do regular sports, get the watch with 5 buttons, it is so much better in daily use for sports. As for features, the FR255 does Everything you need, its only incremental updates since then. If you want maps for running, to follow a course, there is the FR955. All other aspects are more about wants, taste, looks, preference, in terms of needs, FR255 fills all the needs for doing sports. Which is also ok. A watch is also a fashion statememt, something that you look at all day, so choosing something that you like is also a factor. ECG, PulseOx, etc. are not that useful in real life, in my experience.

Wait till 255 fails unless you have too much money to spend. I would rather go 955 or Enduro 3 rather than the always on/off Amoled 970. But as long as my 255 is working, I will not switch.

Others celebrate MIP with amazing battery life and outstanding readability in direct sunlight. I wouldn't want to miss the maps of the 9x5 series. 

I have a 955 and only cycle. I have found find there can be a lag at times, and won't update as much as you think it would. I use the chest strap and feel it is l much more accurate with more frequent updates.

FR 955 is 90%+ of the watch at 50% of the cost

I have a FR 35 and a FR 955 both work great. I got the 955 at launch in a contest. It’s a watch that has way more features than I think anyone can use.

955 is the king value

FR 955 is the same as the 965 just a different screen. Way cheaper

If you want maps 955 is the way

I have a garmin 955 and while I enjoy it for what it is, I have no faith in Garmin as a company anymore. I love the watch don't get me wrong, but if I was going to do my switch from apple to a dedicated sports watch now, I would definitely have gotten the Coros Pace Pro instead. Garmin just feels like a sinking ship

I have a Garmin 955, AWU, Coros 2, the Garmin is the only one I wear. Coros doesn’t play well with others, AWU battery barely makes it through a single day, and the Garmin charge lasts about a week. The more training you do the faster the battery dies, for me as an Ironman Triathlete the AWU is an absolute no go. The Coros has connectivity issues with other training apps & equipment and the Garmin works with everything and has good battery life. I had a Garmin Enduro3 which was far better than the FR955 but it was too big for my girlie sized wrists.

Apple watch ultra 2 is your only real option for longer battery life and esim and the rest of the features you want. You do know that if you have a spotify premium sub you don't have to have an e-sim to listen to music, as you can download playlists and save them onto the device, unfortunately offline spotify is only available on wear os watches (not an option for iPHone as locked to android), apple watches and garmin. Garmin may be a good option as can do offline spotify playlists, and has built in route options or can pull them from strava, syncs data with strava way better than apple does; and the models that offer music all offer at least up to 10 days battery life, and they can offer way more than garmin does in terms of built in training metric and analytics and features. Note offline music + gps on watch is a heavy battery drain - so 1hr or gps activity + offline music and you are looking to recharge every 4-6 days (maybe longer) depending on the model, compared to multiple charge per day on AW (assuming you sleep with it) or daily charge on AWU2 If you want a mic and speaker look at venu 3, FR570, FR970, Venu x1 and Fenix 8 series. Otherwise you could go with vivoactive 5 or 6; FR265, FR965, FR955 and prior fenix 7 (and its variants like Epix 2 etc).

I agree. My garmin 955 is awful for swimming.

Not good IMO, have had experience with Garmin FR 955, Apple Watch, Apple Watch Ultra and now Fenix 8. I have done a combination of olympic weightlifting, crossfit and regular gymbro'ing plus running etc. AWU with Hevy was the best, nothing came close. Garmin plainly sucks for counting reps etc. I would suggest: use your phone with Hevy / Strong and save yourself a great deal of irritation.

Best value is 955 second hand.

I agree with garmin fr955. Superb value at the moment.

I have garmin 955, I use my smartphone but don’t need to. Garmin works as I am sure the other manufacturers do.

How far do you want to run, when you say XC do you mean defined courses or trail where mapping might be useful? If Mapping may be useful 955/965 these are bothe premium watches. The 955 comes with MIP display and I think is the best value watch out there. 965 same watch with amoled screen. If you may want mega distances (100km plus) maybe enduro 2/3 but that is lots more money. If you don’t want maps 255 or 265. Same as 9 series, the 255 is MIP

Oh and second hand 955 is my usual recommendation.

As already said. 955. It is the best value there is right now.

In terms of accuracy, the device you will actually wear will be the best for you. None of these devices are 100% accurate for sleep tracking. But they all do a decent enough job. If you are looking for the most accurate, Apple watch does seem to hold a small edge over both garmin and whoop when compared to a chest strap according to both TQS and DC Rainmaker -- two of the biggest reviews. I do think AW does a much better job of detecting sleep - it just knows. With garmin it mostly looks at my set times and with whoop I am constantly telling it Im done sleeping. But I'd argue that the difference in accuracy doesnt matter for most people other than the most serious athletes. What matters most is what you need. Need a smartwatch with a screen? Go apple or garmin. Longest battery life? Garmin. LTE? AW. Dont want to or cant wear a smart watch but want the data? Whoop. Cheapest? AW SE or cheap garmin. I do think whoop is overpriced for what it is compared to its competition. I've worn both garmin and AW for many years. Currently have a garmin 955 and AW. I am doing the Whoop trial. There is nothing one of these devices really does better in terms of 'health' that another doesnt. They all tell me my sleep, all tell me my HR, and all tell me my HRV. Pick the one you think you will use and wear the most. Don't overthink it.

The answer is 'it depends' and this is based on your needs and priorities. I have both an AW and Garmin 955. If you are doing ultra/marathon type stuff you will need to pay attention to battery life. The ultra watch might be enough for you or even a regular AW. But do some research there and know what activities you do. Regular AW does need to be charged daily. Thats the main advantage garmin has imo and the biggest difference. AW has closed the gap in other areas garmin had the advantage over the past few yrs... The other advantage garmin has is their data screens on the watch during workouts. For example I can set the watch face to have the exact data I need in multiple ways. AW allows some customization there but its pretty limited. Overall though AW has the basic info you need for a workout like pace, HR, time, distance, etc. Stats from post workouts are the same between the two, you just need to use like healthfit for apple to see it. Also AW apps like bevel/athlytic give it more a whoop feel, which is similar to garmin. In fact, AW might give you more stats at this point when using these apps and more health and day to day metrics. Otherwise I think AW wins in most other categories. The smart features and day to day stuff just smashes garmin. The option for LTE is huge for me...others could care less about it. Im a surfer so need LTE for emergencies as I can't take my phone in the water...and I've had to use it during an accident in the water several years back where I needed 17 stitches. LTE has now become a vital activity feature for me and I cant believe workout watches in 2025 don't have it as an option.

The Lily is not a place to start they are an insult and described by Garmin as a fashion watch it doesn't even have built in GPS unless you buy the Lily 2 Active, the Vivoactive series lack altimeters. Coming from an Ultra and running at a few marathons a year the Fr255/265/955/965 would all suit you at a reasonable price. Garmin has outdated software and the UI and UX is terrible but they track activities well. Any of these watches will give you a great deal of data that is fun to look at but around 80% of it is not needed. You can use the compare tool on the Garmin website to compare the features of 5 watches at a time. That is a good place to start. Are you set on a Garmin or would you be interested in another brand? Sunnto and Coros have great watches at far better price points and with better feature to price ratios. As for you U2 you can control what notifications you get (FYI you don't have to get any) and you would get a great deal more battery if you just bought a chest strap for your runs.

Understand that even though Garmin has introduce a strength trainer, strength training has always been and always be an afterthought for Garmin, you will need a third party app to get any decent data. People have suggested the FR970 - overkill wth features that most will never use, understand or take action on, are they fun to look at - yes but they certainly are not needed unless you are a professional runner and even then you don't need half of them. The Fr255/265/955/965 would all suit your needs.

I have had a 255 and now have a 965. Love them both. 965 is a nice upgrade. 955 is currently on sale for $650 at rebel so it’s a good investment. The forerunner are for runners 😉 so you can’t go wrong. Just depends on your budget

I tend to manually log my laps. Auto logging is fine but like you've found it can be hit and miss, especially during rests and if you fiddle with your gear. Also switch to drill mode when you do something other than regulsr swiming. Stroke detection works fine for me. I'm using the garmin from the garmin fr955.

Replaced with 955 after one week, I feel like the 255+ is the way to go

Better GPS accuracy, larger screens, training readiness, sleep score, HRV, more running metrics, music and maps (955) Edit: ++altimeter

Have switched from AW7 to garmin 955. The Garmin is distinctly better for running, actual buttons for speed workouts are so much easier than trying to double tap the touch screen, geez i dont miss that. The UI for running is better. My parkruns on apple watch were always 100m short, Garmin has been 5km. Cant speak about other exercise but for running Garmin is worth the change

FR955 as it has 965 feature with 265 price.

The most value for your demands is FR955, better battery life, almost feature-rich as newer model (Full map, ClimbPro etc), half the price.

I use a Garmin FR955 and it still looks and functions like brand new, even after a year of swimming / running / weight lifting nearly every day.

Go with the **Forerunner 165,** big upgrade from Fitbit with GPS, HR, sleep, stress, and HRV. If hiking navigation is important, look at the **FR255 or 955** since they add route guidance and Komoot sync.

I have a Garmin 955 and cannot recommend it highly enough.

Agreed, got it for 350 USD

For what it’s worth, I have the vivoactive 4. I like it, although the battery is toast after 5 years. I’m looking to upgrade this month. I was considering the FR 955 during their last sale for 350, had a ton of features. If the sales for the newer items suck, that’s probably what I’m going with.

Same with the 955. I love it! Sadly there are no plans for a new forerunner with MIP display 😢

I've the 955 and I use it for weitghlifitng as well. I upload my custom workouts in the connect app(web version works better) and I've everything in my watch. It usually gets the reps pretty well, specially after the first one. You just need to correct a few times and it detects the movement well enough afterwards. The exercises that struggle the most are leg oriented ones where there is no movement of the wrist. Ie leg press or benched leg curl, hip trust (if you don't grab the barbell while duing the exercise) , etc.

Nope, still on my FR955. It is solid. Battery still works ok (in standard running routine i charge 1-2x/week , when biking - it depends. No battery anxiety when i have 30% and going to 2h run :) Using a lot of mapping (mainly trail running and hiking). Dont know how it is with F8 (to expensive for me, but i would go for enduro 3 anyway). Gui in garmin software was always outdated, but i dont mind if it still delivers what i want (check garmin explore app - looks like 90, but it works). Maybe it is important, but i have android phone, not ip.

It's the 955 and it's not even close. It has more functions than every Garmin Forerunner except the new 970 - and more than the brand new 570. Its the same watch as the 965, just with a different screen.

👆Answered. BTW I am FR955 owner.

The 255 should do the job for you. I have the 955 but I specifically got it for the GPS features

Haha that's fair. What country are you in? I got the 955 in the UK for under £300 recently

Look for a user Garmin 955, best value for your money

FR 955 ftw

If you can find a 945 LTE it’s the same inners are the 955 and has almost all the same features plus LTE.

I think you already got your answer but I bought 955a few weeks ago as well and it's awesome

Maybe the MIP siblings of the fr 265/965. You lose the bright and crisp AMOLED display but get the almost the same watch at a huge discount. The 955 is cheaper than the 265 in my region.

Problem with pixeland the others...battery life, my Garmin 955 lasts well over a week.

I'd also consider the 965 and the 955: practically the same watch as the 970 for a significantly lower price.

I was looking for Garmin FR255 but suddenly found FR955 in the sale for like 350eur, just grabbed it. So happy with it. This year did 3day 75km hike with it. it endured all way. Just died in last stretch of 1km. which was finish line area of event. It recorded like over 30hours of activity. Which I was not expecting.

Lightweight and more budget friendly is the 955 and 965 (mip and amoled), then you have the same as you are used to, the Fenix 7 will have the training readiness and DSW with mip display, or Epix/Fenix 8 (cheaper/expensive) for amoled. It will all depend on budget. The coros and suunto are not so strong options for the maps. But your Fenix 6 should have daily suggested workout, except the option to see weekly suggested workouts I think.

They were selling the 955 for 350 the other day. I'd be underwhelmed at full price. I'm stoked at 350

I had an Apple Watch a few years ago and realized I mainly just used it as a watch, and for training / runs. I didn't care for the lack of physical buttons during sports, it sucked if you were sweaty or it if was raining out (I believe this is much better on newer models), and I didn't need to have something buzzing at me all the time. It had it's benefits during work hours, but after a while, I didn't think it was anything special. Moved to Garmin and was much happier, and now Suunto, which I prefer of the three by quite a bit. The interface is intuitive / simple to use, gives great stats, sleep tracking, etc. And as you mention, battery life is pretty amazing, though my Garmin 955 was good as well. In the end, as many have said, depends on if you want a GPS / sports watch or a smart watch with GPS / sports features.

Switched from Garmin (FR955) to the Vertix 2S earlier this year. Have now run around 2,500 miles with it including a few ultras and road races. Made the switch because my old watch needed to be charged for multi-day stuff.  The good: - battery life is as described. 100 mile races and beyond are no issue  - app is good and a ton of stuff just works. Intervals, data screens, maps, etc are just simpler and work every time  - navigation and uploading courses is easier and the distance to next aid is automatically part of nav screens. Garmin drove me nuts with this one - sleep and nap detection is better  - the Velcro strap is better and allows for easy adjustment  - changing bands is easier and doesn’t require tools - snap on and off The bad: - screen on the Garmin is superior for sure - no doubt some of the battery improvement comes from the simple tech  - the crown rotation takes some getting used to and doesn’t always work perfectly  - Garmin has a ClimbPro feature that’s pretty awesome. Shows you distance and vert to the top of each climb. Coros shows you to the distance and vert to next aid…but I miss ClimbPro sometimes as it gives you great bite sized goals to work on.  I don’t think you can go wrong either way, but I wouldn’t hesitate to get a Coros. As someone said, you may be at the end of the design cycle of the Vertix.  They occasionally have open box sales on their website and you can save a few hundred bucks that way too. 

955 is an absolute beast and I'll have mine until it dies... which may be never. It's light, it's rugged, the battery lasts forever, it has mapping, and it just *works*. I personally find AMOLED screens unnecessary and distracting, and that's really the only drawback people will cite about the 955. It's quite possibly the most perfect watch ever created. TLDR; The 955 is the 🐐

I’ll save you the trouble, get the garmin 955. You’ll get about 20 hours of activity recording on a hike ( roughly 2 full days) Basically every metric and feature you’ll need imo

Interesting about the times you fall asleep. I feel mine is super accurate there (955) but does miss out on naps sometimes.

955 gets naps no problem as long as they are at expected nap times. For example I've had mornings where I'll wake up and make lunch for the kiddo for school at 7am. I'll assume I'm up for the day and will view my morning report so now the watch knows I'm up up. But then I'll go lay down and doze off again for 30 mins. In those instances it has never recorded a nap. But at 1pm after a bike ride, same scenario and it will show a nap.

There were some limitations of the 165 that made me choose the 265. The features can be compared on the Garmin site. And chances are, some reputable reviewer such as DesFit or DCRainmaker has made an in deep comparison between the two. Ahhh... here is one https://youtu.be/pD77vx9x0Ig?si=o9NNSmrrqm29_RrO I was reluctant to get the 955 because I know I do not need navigation on my watch and the 900 series are pretty big watches (I wear them at night to also monitor sleep). But function-wise, it is a good choice. Especially if you prefer a MIP screen. From a budget vs. function perspective, the 255Music is a great running watch....if I crashed my 265 today, I'd likely get one. I'm still bemoaning the MIP display that I gave up with getting the 265.

I went from FR255 to Vivoactive 5 then to FR955. Im a runner and I missed training status/load, endurance and readiness. As a runner I find it useful having the extra info, but honestly that’s about it!

I tried 955 in a similar situation and was disappointed. It is bulkier, as thick as Fenix, and the display is visibly worse because of this unnecessary touch screen layer. 

Just got the 955 last week and seeing everyone still recommending it is great.

FR965 (AMOLED) or 955 if you like MIP. Fenix 8 Pro should also release soon. I'd advice against the 970 unless you can get it for same price as 965. It's smaller with a smaller battery but has call/speaker and a flashlight.

Garmin 955! On sale for 350, seems tough so far and I charge minimally.

The 2x5 line is much better for running than the 165, so I wouldn't recommend the 165. I find that Garmin watch are pretty bad at handling audio content (music, but especially podcasts and audiobooks). Coming from running only my Apple Watch, I switched to running with my 255 and my phone. So personally, I wouldn't recommend getting the music version. As for the 955, it does have maps and little more over the 255/265. It really comes down to how much you like to run in new places where maps are needed (and even then, the breadcrumbs map on the 255 can be handy).

Garmin is still selling the 255, 955, 265, and 965. Those are much better value than the 570. The price of the 570 puts it in such a bad spot sandwiched between better options. The watch is fine but it should've been a 2xx level pricing. It's the 265 successor after all.

The 955, it's a no-brainer imo. You get almost all the top features, great battery, etc. One of the best values you can get from Garmin. The 265 and, the 965 for that matter, have no advantage over the 955. The exception is amoled and looks, but these are subjective and a lot of people prefer MIPS.

You can get two 955 for the price of the 970 and still have money to spare. If durability was an issue...

if you need maps buy 965, if not go for 265. If you even do not need OLED go 255. If you need battery go for the one with more battery capability. Don’t get fooled by fancy metrics you’ll never use. I have a 955. Very happy with it. I was happy also with my 245 without mapping and using the preloaded tracks. Only reason I upgraded was screen size e possibility to have 5 fields on the screen. Other than that it was perfect, and I still miss how it was disappearing on my wrist in terms of weight, bulkiness and band size. Consider used to try it out or go to a local shop to play with it and see how it feels at your wrist. Also consider a nylon band (ultrafit by garmin or a similar amazon one) since it is mor stretchy, secures better, breaths better then silicon.

...unless you prefer MIP. In which case the 955 is the one of the last of the best.

955 FR reporting in, I charge mine like once every 2 weeks

Hard to beat 200 for a 955 that’s some strong value

What do you want out of a watch? If it’s to primarily track your activities, pick a Garmin that has swim capabilities. The newer watches also have lifestyle tracking like sleep, HRV, body battery, etc. If you like the Apple Watch as a smartwatch that can also track your activities then get a newer Apple Watch. I’ve used both. Have a Garmin 955, and an AW ultra 1. Currently using the AW for Ironman training and it’s been adequate so far. But I will likely switch over to the 955 for the battery on race day.

Hi. I am not a runner. I walk and hike (every day). I did a ton of research earlier this year between Coros, Suunto, and Garmin. I moved away from an Apple Series 9 (loved my Apple rings being closed every day and the ecosystem I was already in). Started tracking on Strava the first of the year when I started looking to move away from the crappy battery life of Apple Wearables. I ended up with a Garmin 965. I love my watch. I miss a few things about Apple, but, short of making a watch that lasts more than 72 hours on battery, I will not be going back to Apple. I did play around with Coros. It was ok. The app is more user-friendly than Garmin and tracks about the same data/stats. If money isn't an issue, get the Garmin Fenix 8 with solar (I believe that is the one that is not AMOLED). Or snag an older 955 or something. My 965 is fabulous. With tracking at least 1.5 hours on GPS throughout the week and at least one six-hour hike on weekends, and get 10 or so days per charge. The Fenix I tried was a tad heavy. I find the 965 to fit and feel much like my Apple Watch. A hiking buddy switched from a 955 to a 970 a few months ago and LOVES it. Said it is worth the drop of a few days of battery for the new features and comfort. Both of us have purchased third-party watch bands (velcro). Makes it so awesome. Love it! In short, get the 970 and set it as the black and white colors for your screen.

There are some garmin watches in battery saver mode the battery will last basically forever with solar power, rated for 1+ year. However in normal modes it will get you 4-10 extra days maybe.

Here is my reason, have you noticed that the major reviewers even when they are testing Garmin or Suunto watches are always wearing the Apple Watch Ultra on their wrist? Here is why, as great as Garmin watches are and I back this statement up , I have owned 3 Fenix's and 2 forerunner 9 series over the years. Running and Cycling are in comparison small parts of my week, even though I run 30 K a week and cycle almost 200K a week. The rest of the week, I am an employee, check email, read and respond to texts, I am a husband, a father , a podcast / music listener , a walker ,a gym goer and the Apple Watch is just an all round everyday watch for me with all the smart features. Sorry for the long winded reply.... and with regards to your last comment, I totally agree , when I was a Garmin Wearer, 99% of the time I saw someone with a Garmin, it was easy to strike a conversation as they were a runner or a cyclist. With the apple watch.....not so much lol

Currently an Apple Watch user for personal reasons but I can tell you that in the last 11 years having owned various Fenix and Forerunner 9 models, Garmin makes solid built great products and every time I called customer service , they were supportive. I still own an Edge 1040 / Varia combo and my wife has the same plus an Epix 2. Don’t even worry about it, you’ll be fine! 

Still one of the best when it comes to performance/price. Performance is super nice, long battery time, many functions. But ofc if you have enough money, go for a newer model like FR 570. I dont know much about swimming. Probably the FR 9xx is better for that.

There is Garmin Swim (IMHO essentially it is a ForeRunner, but swim has been put in focus; review here https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/10/garmin-openwater-review.html). However, modern Garmin watches are all able to track pool swim as well as gym workouts (you might have to set exercises later in the app if you want to track muscle groups affected). Essentially ForeRunner is for runners mostly, Forerunner 9xx is focused on triathlon, Fenix is mostly for outdoors - but again, all of them can do almost the same. I’d go with Fenix if budget allows.

Fenix/Epix are the same, Forerunner 9xx has 99% same functions but a bit lighter and not as tall, but only available in one size

Many of us have been here. Just get the best Garmin you can afford and you’ll never look back. I bought the EPIX 2, and love it, but the Forerunner 9xx series are probably the best bang for buck if you’re into fitness training.

Ive bought a 9 series forerunner. Id come from an apple watch too, after the initial excitement of talking to it I just found it limited in functionality for sports. I'm very happy with the forerunner, itis not the Apple watch at all. It's excellent. I dont need any more if that helps.

If you want maps, it's the 900-series.

Forerunners are great even if you don't run. None of the watches are great for the gym btw. For hiking you basically want an altimeter (which all new watches have) and maybe maps (which only the most premium watches do). I think the main advantage the Instinct has over the Forerunner is that it comes with Garmin Explore integration (for offline realtime mapping with the companion app on the phone). Only the Forerunner 9xx series support this. I think an Instinct 2 or 3 will be a great choice for your use

I've used either a Forerunner 9xx or a Fēnix for about 6 years. If you give it about 5 minutes before you swim to leatch onto as many satellites as possible after it says it has a GPS fix it's pretty good. If you dive in as soon as you get the tick, it's crap.

V2 Form goggles will do all of that. On the plus side, they're cheaper than most watches that will do the same. On the minus side, they're expensive for goggles and they have no other uses. Edit: and I didn't read the land workout bit. Garmin Forerunner 9xx definitely meets your needs. I suspect the 2xx series will as well.

For sports, always Garmin. No one else comes close for multisport watches, and I don't need a bunch of useless "smart watch" features that just waste battery.

Plastic? Okay you’ve never used a good Garmin. They’re all saphire glass with titanium lol. Apple Watches lose roughly 6-8% from tracking sleep (lol). My Garmin solar doesn’t even use 2% daily.

solar garmin. everything i need, nothing i don't. paired with a polar HRM.

I use a Garmin Forerunner watch, and it displays heart rate while tracking activity. The reading is pretty visible to me even with slightly foggy goggles but ymmv. They have a lot of models with this capability, so maybe you can find one with a bigger screen. The default heart rate screen also has a colored Zone indicator, if that's easier to see & you're not looking for exact numbers https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=kbOXNev7NS4DQcc3IjAV49

I use Garmin forerunner watch, sync Strava with Garmin Connect and sync Komoot with Strava. It works like a charm.

I have a Garmin Edge bike computer and chest based heart rate because I like to see my speed on the handlebars rather than having to look at my watch. It also navigates for me on more adventurous rides and race courses I'm unfamiliar with. For local social rides I just track on my Garmin Forerunner watch.

A Garmin head unit. You could buy used to reduce the cost. I do ride wearing my forerunner watch, however it is purely for heartrate (linkeded to display on headunit) In reality you could buy the headunit and an inexpensive chest heartrate monitor such as magene. I do however like that my watch provides lots of other daily data such as resting heartrate, steps and so forth. There is benefit to headunit + basic level sports watch.

Runs are the same concept as rides. Personally, I use purpose-built devices to record: Garmin Edge bike computer, Garmin Forerunner watch (they also both do navigation, connect to heart rate sensors, watch does music, etc.). When I stop an activity and hit save, it's uploaded to Strava before I can even get the garage door open. I don't want to carry my phone on a run, and I don't want to run down the battery on all-day rides.

Obviously a Fenix 8 Micro LED. For real though, Fenix/Epix watches will give you full golf functionality minus a feature or two which are reserved for the golf specific watches. If you are budget conscious I would look for a Fenix 7/epix 2 series watch. If you have money to spend, a Fenix 8 will be great for everything you can imagine. Forerunner watches do have some golf features but they are dumbed down a bit to basic distance to green and score keeping.

Ive had a few Fenix versions, they are great/ top of the range. Last few years ive been using forerunners which have all the functionality - 9xx series is great, or 2xx for something easier on the pocket. My activities include trail running, hiking, triathlons (and running/swimming/riding only), golf/disc golf. Navigation and battery are good, and glass is strong. Lifestyle is great for sleep, general hr tracking, step counts, tap to pay. The 955 i have also has great multimedia (music). Cant go wrong with a forerunner (solar if you are doing ultra's or multiday). Fenix is a nice splurge

>Its a Vivoactive by another name. ironically i've been looking at the FR series to upgrade my old vivoactive. lack of altimeter is deal breaker for me.

Garmin - They have a lot of watches at different price points. There is built-in GPS and the battery lasts for several days, unlike a smart watch that you typically need to charge every night. The Garmin app easily syncs with other fitness apps, if that's important to you. If you have a smaller wrist, go for the "S" models that will look and fit better.